Mail-transferring apparatus.



J. McGRATH.

MAIL TRANSFERRING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1915.

1 ,192.,656. Patented July 25, 1916.

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WITNESSES APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 14, 1915- Patented July 25;, 1916.

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wzg zm ATTORNEY JOSEPH McGRATI-I, OF MANTENO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-TBANSFERRING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed September 14, 1915. Serial No. 50,682.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn McGRATH, citizen of the United States,residing at Manteno, in the county of Kankakee and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Mail-TransferringApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mail transferring apparatus and contemplatesprimarily a novel delivery means for use in connection with a particulartype of receiving apparatus hereinafter described.

The invention may be said to consist in the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, annexed: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedmail trans fer-ring apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional viewon the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on theline 33 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the sevoral views.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a railway mailear, 2 as an en tiroty the delivery means mounted thereon, 3 as anentirety the receiving means for cooperation with said delivery means, 1as an entirety the delivery means for cooperation with the said means 2,the latter cooperating in this instance as a receiving means and 5 anopening or doorway in the mail car 1 that the delivery means 2 may bemoved into and out of a position for operation.

For a brief description of the delivery means 2, attention is directedto a copending application bearing Serial #50,681, filed September 14th,1915.

The receiving means 3 is conjunctively utilizable as a means to receiveand retain mail matter directed thereto through the agency of thedelivery means 2 and as a means to guide and direct said means 2 (thelatter in this instance being utilized as a receiving means) to thedelivery means 4 mounted on said receiving means 3.

The delivery means 4 in its preferred embodiment may be said to consistof a suitable substantially rectangular frame 6 braced intermediate itsends as indicated at 7. Guide plates 8 diverge from the center of theframe toward the ends thereof that mail matter directed to the receivingmeans 3 may be held and retained as pointed out in the application abovereferred to and that the receiving means for the mail matter deliveredmay be directed to the delivery means 4. Divergent plates 8 terminate attheir diverged extremities in spaced relation that the combined deliveryand receiving means 2 may pass therebetween. Angle bars 9 (one for eachplate) extend transversely of the frame and form a part there- 'of. Saidangle bars'9 with a channel bar 10 secured thereto, afford a supportmeans for holding devices designated, each as an entirety by the numeral10. The mentioned holding devices being of a duplicate construction, adescription of but one will ensue.

A plate 11 is secured to the channel bar 10 to extend beyond theopposite longitudinal edges thereof as illustrated to advantage in Fig.3. The terminals of the plate 11 act as the stationary aws of-theretaining device. A resilient plate 12 is secured at a pointequi-distant from its ends or as indicated at 13 to the plate 11, saidplate 12 being bowed at its extremities as indicated at 14 to providethe movable jaws of the retaining device. A pin 15 is mounted topenetrate the respective jaws of the holding device and to mount aspring 16 abutting at one end its associate movable jaw and at itsopposite end a head 17 formed on the pin. The springs 16 afford a meanswhereby the resilient or movable jaws are normally held in engagementwith the fixed or stationary jaws. As hereinbefore suggested, theretaining devices are located in opposed relation, that is, one set ofjaws at each side of a line drawn through the center of the combinedreceiving and delivery frame. The said opposed retaining devices acttogether in releasably holding a mail bag support designated as anentirety by the numeral 18, said support comprising a metallic stripbent as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3 to provide divergent arms 19and a connecting loop portion 20, the former, arms 19, being providedwith apertures 21 that the movable jaws 14 of the retaining devices maypass therethrough. A keeper 22 is pivoted as at 23 to one of the arms 19in such proximity to the other of said arms as to normally engagetherewith to thus provi de a fastening means for the mail bag subsequentto engagement of the receiving means 2 therewith. The mail bag to bedelivered, illustrated by the dotted line in Fig.

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1, is detachably connected in any suitable manner to a lug 24 formedupon one of the divergent arms. That the said arms 19 may contact withthe retaining devices ashereinbefore suggested,the openings25 are formedin the guide plates 8 in opposed relation.i

11 of'the said devices against tension ofthe springs 16. i/Vhen soremoved, the arms 19 are posltloned in such relation to such devices asto allowthemovable aws, when released, to fit theopenings 21 in saidarms and by such fitting engagement hold the delivery means 4 in thedirect path of the receiving means 2 directed thereto by contact withtheguide plates 8. The arms 19 of the delivery means of course penetratethe guide plates 8 at the opposite end of the frame 6 from that whence amail train is approaching. As the receiving arms come in contact withthe diverged plates 8 it is evident that the said arms will be directedagainst the keeper or latch bars 22 and to the loop portionQO'ofthedelivery means. The impact occasioned by the contact of the receivingmeans with said delivery means will be sufficient to withdraw the arms19 from engagement with the retaining devices and thus cause saiddelivery means 4 or rather the plates 18 forming a part thereof togetherwith the mail bag to be transferred from the stationary support to themoving train.

It will be understood that the above 'description and accompanyingdrawings comprehendonly the general and preferred embodiment of myinvention and that various minor changes in details of construction,proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of theappended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of myinvention. 1

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mail delivery apparatus, a removable support for the mail bag tobe delivered, a retaining means engaging and holding said support in aposition for de livery, said support accompanying the bag whendelivered, and a guide means leading to said support. 1

2. In a mail delivery apparatus, a removable support for the mail bag tobe delivered, spring actuating jaws engaging and holding said support ina position for delivery, said support accompanying the bag whendelivered, and a guide means leading to said support.

In a mail delivery apparatus, a support for the mail bag to bedelivered'comprising a single strip of material bent to provide a loopedretaining portion and arms leading therefrom, spring actuated clampingjaws engaging the respective arms to maintainthe support in apositionfor delivery, guide plates leading to said support,

each of the mentioned guide plates having openmgs formed therein throughwhich the arms of the said support extend, substantially as described. 7

4.'In a mail delivery apparatus, a mail bag support comprising a loopedretaining member having divergent arms leading thereto, each of saidarms having an opening formed therein, opposed retaining de-' vicesadapted to engage the respective arms, each of salddevices comprising afixed jaw and a spring actuated movable jaw adapted for contacttherewith, the said movable jaws fitting openings aforesaid, and guideplates leading to said support means, the mentioned guide platesextending in divergent relation and being provided with openings throughwhich the said arms pass, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V JOSEPH MCGRATH'.

I/Vitnesses:

MIKE WELSH, L. M; LAROCQUE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington,D. G. I

